Drummer David Kinkade (BORKNAGAR) has joined forces with guitarist Marco Martell (MALEVOLENT CREATION, DIVINE EMPIRE) and vocalist Jarret Roberts of Chicago's KASTASYDE to form MONARCH.

Commented Kinkade: "For the past 10 or so years, I've been putting my personal musical ideas on the backburner in order to commit to other already established bands. I'm quite happy that I made that choice, because as a result, I learned a lot of helpful things, made great friends and had great experiences. I've become a part of one of my favorite bands (BORKNAGAR) and I love it, but all my life I've really wanted the chance to create my own music. So with that, I've been able to apply all the 'what to and what not to do' towards the creation of my own project — MONARCH.

"In early 2010, I sat down with friend and guitarist/producer Johnny Dove and started laying down the collection of riffs I've had in my mind for 10 years or so. It was a lot of hard fucking work, but after nearly 10 months at it, we are ready to release our work to the world.

"I found the people who I feel fit perfectly to be a part of this, including guitarist Marco Martell and vocalist Jarret Roberts.

"As drummer and now a songwriter, I love everything from SLIPKNOT, METALLICA and IRON MAIDEN to RUSH, PINK FLOYD and MUSE... so be sure to check it out."

Death metal psychopaths ABORTED have issued the following update:

"We are starting pre-productions for our upcoming record on January 4th. This means we will demo all the songs for the record, make sure everything sounds good and make the necessary adjustments to make sure they are all more lethal than a chainsaw in Mr. Leatherface's hands.

"We're all very excited about the material thus far and can't wait to get this over with and proceed to the actual recordings later this year. Expect a fall 2011 release through our partners in mayhem Century Media."

ABORTED vocalist Sven De Caluwé previously stated about the group's new material, "The aim is to have about 11 ready for the record and two bonus tracks because, well, 2011 is going to be a special year for ABORTED. We have the whole concept written out and there won't be any spoilers yet but I think there will be quite some surprises for everyone, in a good, horrific ABORTED way, of corpse! The material itself is definitely good ole ABORTED.

"As we said with 'Coronary Reconstruction', we are getting that old-school brutal vibe back mixing it up with some newer stuff. All I can say is this is definitely some [of], if not the most punishing material the band has ever written, we are going to bpms that we never went to before, some of the riffing is pretty damn technical. Imagine a bastard child of 'Engineering The Dead', 'Goremageddon' and 'Archaic' on steroids. That, and of course, some new elements as we don't really like to write the same record twice."

Steven Rosen of Ultimate-Guitar.com recently conducted an interview with Philip Anselmo (DOWN, PANTERA, SUPERJOINT RITUAL, ARSON ANTHEM). A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: The new DOWN record is done?

Anselmo: Not even touched. We did a show in Switzerland [this past summer], a festival, but that really wasn't as memorable as the second show which was with AC/DC in Bucharest, Romania. That was fuckin' amazing; it was 50,000 people. The only thing that tarnished the whole event was that [HEAVEN & HELL was forced to cancel its appearance] and we all know that Ronnie James Dio passed away.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: You were a Dio fan?

Anselmo: I've got to say it right here and right now: Ronnie was probably one of the — you'll hear this a million times but if it were ever true — Ronnie was the nicest guy you could ever meet, man. He was one of the good guys. I've known him since 1993 and he's always kept in touch with me someway, somehow. We played more gigs together with DOWN a few years back and it's a big loss.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: You did recognize what Ronnie brought to metal as a vocalist?

Anselmo: No matter what today's younger generation think, I know what my generation thinks and the generation before my generation: an end of an era has occurred, man. Ronnie was alone. Probably one of the best heavy metal rock and roll singers around; maybe even a little underrated. I think he was right up there; him and Glenn Hughes and Paul Rodgers and even Chris Cornell. Let's go for it.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: Do you have any feelings about some of the modern metal bands? Groups like MASTODON, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, and those types of bands?

Anselmo: I've got respect for MASTODON; I think they play very well for what they do. I think the drummer is very, very entertaining to watch; he's a fuckin' excellent drummer. Super-cool guys to hang out with; a lot of fun. I think that music is a wide open world. Of course I know what you're fishin' for. I think PANTERA left a big imprint on them. It's flattering and sometimes if I walk into a room and I hear somethin' playing real, real low that sounds real fuckin' familiar, nine times out of ten it's one of them bands you're mentioning. But that's fine. The biggest argument could be this and I get this: PANTERA doesn't exist anymore. The records exist but we're not creating music anymore so there's a void there. And I guess these bands are filling a void. So you've got to take that into account as well.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: Do you think that any of these contemporary bands will have the impact and staying power that PANTERA had?

Anselmo: PANTERA revolutionized the sound and the approach to heavy metal. It's been regurgitated. Once you up the production on a product and not just the playing but the actual production, then it's going to up the ante. Period. Bands are going to want that sound and Dimebag had a monster fuckin' guitar sound; it was all a matter of getting it on tape right. He always had that great sound.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: If a band called PANTERA came out today with an album called "Cowboys From Hell", would it make an impact?

Anselmo: Would it have been a tougher road [today]? I don't think so because I think PANTERA at our prime would have destroyed anything in our fucking path. So I can't really think that way.

Ultimate-Guitar.com: So who's the new PANTERA?

Anselmo: A modern band? The only band I can think of that will have longevity like that for heavy metal would be METALLICA for sure. They're THE ROLLING STONES of metal. They can if they want to, and I believe they do from the last I've seen of them, keep creating music; keep writing music together. They have a good time doing it and they have a massive fuckin' following so why not do that very thing? Look at AC/DC; look at HEAVEN & HELL up to the point [of Dio's passing]; and look at Ozzy Osbourne. I'm not sure if he's doing gigs but he did gigs into his middle 60s. It's there for METALLICA if they want it and like I say, I do believe they will be that band. But modern bands? I can't really judge that; I don't know. MASTODON could play music together forever as well and they can have a hardcore following forever as well. Whoever's in the kids' faces; like SLIPKNOT. If I was a young teenager or even a kid, they would be my KISS of this generation. You know what I'm saying? So SLIPKNOT could keep doing what they do for as long as they're havin' fun. So, yeah, there are some bands out there who can do it and will do it on a massive scale. Sure. 'Til they call it quits and only 'til that point and that's saying something; that's longevity one way or another. No matter what anyone thinks of the fuckin' music. Because music is like fuckin' opinions and like anything else you're gonna get in life: good and bad; I like it; I don't like it. Tastes are varied, man, so much in this music world. Look, I adore the bands that I adore. On the flipside, as much as you love a 100 different genres of bands, there are another 100 I can easily say I dislike too.

Swedish metallers CLOUDSCAPE have issued the following update:

"CLOUDSCAPE is very excited about 2011 considering they'll release their fourth album, to be entitled 'New Era'. All songs are now written and the band is making plans with their management. CLOUDSCAPE will most likely enter the studio during the first months of 2011.

"CLOUDSCAPE have, as you may know, gone through a few member changes and it's been two and a half years since the release of 'Global Drama' so the band is happy to say that all wounds are healed and the band is back in the saddle more inspired than ever."

CLOUDSCAPE earlier year announced the addition of guitarist Daniel Paulson to the group's ranks.

"Darkest Legacy", the latest video from CLOUDSCAPE, can be viewed below. The clip was filmed, directed and edited by Rainer Holmgren (PAIN OF SALVATION, ARSIS).

"Darkest Legacy" comes off the group's third album, "Global Drama", which was released in 2008 in Europe through Goldencore/Roastinghouse Records and in North America through Nightmare Records.

CLOUDSCAPE previously described "Global Drama" as "the most varied and interesting album by CLOUDSCAPE so far. It contains a few really hard and raw metal songs and there will also be a few more atmospheric and dynamic songs progressively spiced." The CD was produced by Pontus Lindmark and recorded at RoastingHouse Studios in Malmö, Sweden.

Polish death metallers SPHERE have completed work on their sophomore album, "Homo Hereticus", at Zed Studio for an early 2011 release via an as-yet-undetermined record label.

According to a press release, "SPHERE, established in 2002, was standing for death metal as it always meant to be. Rooted in brutal, straight forward and yet genuine old-school death metal. After few lineup changes band recorded 'Spiritual Dope' demo and 'Damned Souls Rituals' album followed by skull-crushing gigs. Three years passed and SPHERE entered Zed Studio to record revolting album 'Homo Hereticus'. It stems from death metal origin but it's enriched in fresh groovy ideas. 'Homo Hereticus' is a powerful tool blasting minds and souls. It makes a perfect base upon the redemption march."

"Homo Hereticus" track listing

01. Forever Sworn to Blasphemy
02. Godless Profanity
03. Third Scent Carcass
04. Sadistfucktion
05. Homo Hereticus
06. Holistic Paralisys
07. Psalm to the Dark One
08. Grave's Cold Darkness
09. Vengeance is the Core of All
10. Devils Reunion
11. Beyond Madness of Gods
12. War

SPHERE is currently seeking a suitable record label to release "Homo Hereticus".

SPHERE is:

* Th0rn (CONQUEST ICON) - Drums, Percussion
* Lukasz (PYORRHOEA, ex-HATE) - Guitar
* Burning (ex-MAESTUS) - Bass
* Cthulhu - Guitar
* Analripper (REVELATION OF DOOM, ex-PYORRHOEA) - Throat

Norwegian heavy/prog metallers FRAIL GROUNDS have entered Lionheart Studio in Oslo to begin recording their as-yet-untitled "conceptual" debut album.

The first video footage from the studio can be viewed below.

FRAIL GROUNDS is:

Morten Søbyskogen - Lead vocals
Erik Fidgett - Guitar
Thomas Oppedal - Bass
Magnus Nødset - Drums
Sigbjørn Galåen - Synthesizers
Vegard Amundsen - Guitars

"Inject Me Now", a brand new song from the Slovenian futuristic metal band NEUROTECH, is available for streaming in the YouTube clip below. The track comes off the group's debut album, "Antagonist", which is scheduled for release in January.

"Antagonist" track listing:

01. Antagonist
02. Inject Me Now
03. Nonexistent
04. Awaiting Deception
05. The Angst Zeit
06. The Mannequin March
07. A Hollow Impression
08. Towards Tedious Nightmare
09. We Are The Last
10. The Sky Is Always Open

NEUROTECH is:

* Wulf - Vocals, Guitar, Synths and Samples, Drum programming
* Naur - Bass
* Sophis - Guitar

Chilean webzine Grinder Magazine has uploaded video footage of WATAIN's December 8, 2010 concert at Teatro Novedades in Santiago, Chile. The site says, "In the clip below you can watch the band performing the song 'Reaping Death', from WATAIN's latest album called 'Lawless Darkness'. This was the last song that [WATAIN frontman] Erik Danielsson played (just the third in the setlist!), because he was too sick and he couldn't continue with his performance. After that, Set Teitan (guitar) had to take his place."

WATAIN kicked off its North American headlining tour on November 6 at Mr. Smalls in Pittsburgh and bludgeoned its way through over two dozen cities before the trek came to a close on December 4 at the Opera House in Toronto. Support was provided by GOATWHORE and BLACK ANVIL.

A YouTube clip featuring samples of five songs that will appear on "Reborn In Sleaze: A Tribute To Dave Lepard" can be found below. The clip includes contributions from POMPEI NIGHTS, a young and talented band from Sweden who recently signed with Street Symphonies Records, performing "Back On Trakk"; SPEED STROKE (the new project of ex-JOHNNY BURNING guitar players Niko and D.B.) playing "Riot In Everyone"; SKULL DAZE ("Queen Obscene/69 Shots"), CYANIDE 4 ("Out Of Line") and BLACKRAIN ("Lost Horizons").

"Reborn In Sleaze: A Tribute To Dave Lepard" is a special re-recording of CRASHDIET's "Rest In Sleaze" LP to pay tribute to singer David Hellman (a.k.a. Dave Lepard), who committed suicide in January 2006 at the age of 25

The tribute album will be released in late spring via Street Symphonies Records.

Street Symphonies Records is the only Italian record label dedicated exclusively to glam/sleaze/hard rock.

DAYS OF ANGER wurden Anfang 2010 in einer kleinen Stadt in Schweden gegründet wo Pop Musik die Einwohnerschaft dominierte. Aus der Asche einiger lokaler Metal Bands fanden die drei Mitglieder mit einem großen Fundus an Songmaterial zusammen.

Bereits Anfang Mai entschloss sich die Band anstatt eines Demos gleich das Debut Album mit dem Titel "Death Path" an den Start zu bringen. Das Album enthält zehn aggressive, diabolische Thrasher, die im Skjulsta/Eskilstuna eingespielt wurden, der Mix und das Mastering lag in den Händen von Pelle Saether im Studio Underground in Västerås/Sweden.

DAYS OF ANGER sind der perfekte Sound für die dunkle und böse Seite in uns allen. Kurz nach der Fertigstellung des Albums erkannten Massacre Records das enorme Potential der jungen Schweden und nahmen die Band unter Vertrag. "Death Path" erscheint nun weltweit am 25. Februar 2011. Inzwischen arbeitet das höllische Trio bereits an neuen Songs und Aktvitäten für das Jahr 2011!

SOKO FRIEDHOF "Mord" - Oder… ist sie zu freakig bist du zu spießig. Die aktuelle SOKO, die echte, wahrhaftige neue deutsche Härte. Bei SOKO FRIEDHOF ist man ja einiges an Provokationen gewohnt. Konzertverbote oder Razzien waren quasi an der Tagesordnung.

Doch bei "Mord" hat man sich mit all den dunklen Stimmen der Straße zusammengetan, hat Einflüsse des Alltäglichen, und fantastischen Düster-Electro mit dunklem Deutsch Rap gepaart und eine Art hybriden Horror- und Hiphop mix ala SOKO meets K.I.Z meets schwarz meets Rammbock meets Rummelsnuff fabriziert. Jetzt wurde der neue Song "Ich und die Frau eines anderen" hier auf MySpace zum probehören online gestellt. "Mord" wurde am 3. Dezember 2010 veröffentlicht.

Das kommende MAGNUM Album "The Visitation" wird an folgenden Tagen veröffentlicht werden:

Germany / Austria / Switzerland: January 14th, 2011
Europe: January 17th, 2011
USA/Canada: January 25th, 2011

Jetzt wurde hier ein neues Widget mit Bilder, Tour Dates und dem neuen Song "Black Skies" online gestellt.

The Visitation will be available in the following formats:

- Limited Edition Digipak
- Jewel Case
- Double Gatefold Vinyl
- Download

The Visitation Track List:

01. Black Skies
02. Doors To Nowhere
03. The Visitation
04. Wild Angels
05. Spin Like A Wheel
06. The Last Frontier
07. Freedom Day
08. Mother Nature's Final Dance
09. Midnight Kings
10. Tonight's The Night

Bonus DVD / Limited Edition Digipak:

The Visitation Lyrics
Live at the High Voltage Festival 2010 in London 2010 ('Brand New Morning', 'Les Morts Dansant', 'All My Bridges', 'When We Were Younger', 'Eyes Like Fire')
Behind The Artwork video with Al Barrow (with tracks 'The Moonking' and 'In My Minds Eye')
Rodney Matthews Artwork
Photo Galleries
Moonblog montage

Gute Nachrichten aus Grailham City – die neue DVD "Live at the Gates of Grailham City" ist am 22. Dezember 2010 in den heiligen Hallen ankommen! Bestellen könnt Ihr dieses fantastische Geschenk HIER im Shop der Band! Aufgenommen wurde die DVD am 20. März 2010 im Musikzentrum Hannover.

"Live at the Gates of Grailham City" Track List:

01. Einzug der Helden
02. Grailquest Gladiators
03. When Good Turns Evil
04. Zapf Beauty - Eine Stärkung für den Battlechoir
05. Nameless Grave
06. The White Raven
07. Grailrobic - Training der Heldenmuskulatur
08. Engraved on a Tree Trunk
09. Der Drachenkampf
10. Die Trommeln der Macht
11. Holding out for a Hero
12. Home at Last (deutsche Version)
13. Regicide
14. Professor Pains Geheimwaffe - Cyborg Skull
15. Sea Song
16. Moonlit Masquerade
17. Der Heilige Gral
18. Return to Castle Grailskull

Former NIGHTWISH singer TARJA TURUNEN has issued the following festive update:

"The tours for this year are over and it’s time to have holidays with the loved ones. I am very happy with the outcome of this year and I am sure that next year will bring new challenges once again. As long as I keep on dreaming my dream, I guess the path I took many years ago is the correct one.

Before changing my winter jacket to the bikinis, I wanted to tell you what has happened in these last couple of weeks.

My lovely Christmas tour was very successful. It was wonderful to see all the concert places packed with people with Christmas mood, even though we took an early start for the holiday celebrations in the beginning of December.

I had never visited Keuruu before, so it was a nice surprise indeed that so many people came to listen our music in the beautiful wooden church and offered us a standing ovation. Perfect ending for this show.

Every one of us musicians was very sad that the tour had to end so soon. We would have all loved to continue with the concerts, but we live in hope that in the next years we can do many more of them together. That’s a nice wish. I already miss Kalevi, Markku, Mervi and Marzi!

Immediately after my Christmas tour, I had to get my mood back to rock´n roll for my shows in Hämeenlinna, Tampere and Mikkeli, just two days after the last Xmas concert. Many people have been asking me how I manage with such drastic changes, but I just love it! I will never get bored like this ;)

I enjoy having two careers at the same time, because they both complete me as an artist, as a singer.

It was pretty tough though to front a seated Finnish audience in the concert halls in Finland. I am sad when I hear and read that Finnish people we are “cold/dead/frozen”. We are definitely not, but we have our own ways to show our interest. If you front a full house and people getting away from their seats to cheer and stand, believe me, you won this one!

I would love to specially dedicate all the shows I did in Finland this year to those ones with power to decide. Guys, open your eyes and you will see… Finland I salute you!

After Suomi we headed to Europe, Luxembourg and had a nice day off. We walked through the streets of the old city and it was the first time for me to have a chance to see the life of Luxembourg more than just through the hotel room window. Lovely!

After Luxembourg anyway my luck changed.

Nitra, Slovakia was something particular. We spent three days in a cosy hotel doing absolutely nothing important, since the Slovakian shows got cancelled just in the last minute. It was a really big misfortune for me and I didn’t expect that at all to happen. I really hope to be able to return to Slovakia and to sing for my lovely fans. We are working on that and I hope to have news soon about it.

You were the ones that made me really happy when I met some of you at the Christmas Market in Nitra. Even though it was a very cold day, I was surprised how many of you got my message and was there! Facebook has remarkable powers! :) Anyway, I ask you my deepest apologizes for not performing this time.

Luckily I had a lot of time to walk around the city of Nitra.

Well, many of us were anxious to get to Austria and Graz is definitely one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Even the sun was showing up on the day we arrived there. I wanted to see the view of the city from the Schloss Eggenberg and it was worth to go up on the hill.

The show was really great and we rocked together with the Austrian people.

The last journey we did was to Milan. I have always had good memories from my shows in Italy, but this time the people were just stunning. Beautiful, loud and happy crowd. The weather was terrible, but despite of that, there were a lot of people waiting for me after the show under the rain. People were soaked and cold, but happy.

It was a lovely ending for this 2010 tour. There are many more tours to come next year, I promise.

I want to thank for all the Xmas presents, lovely messages and supportive words you’ve been giving me during these last months. “What Lies Beneath” is alive and well, but wouldn’t be so without you all.

Now it’s time to say goodbye, but I’ll be back sooner than you expect. Perhaps just a bit more tanned.

Wherever you are, I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Take care and have lovely holidays!

STRATOVARIUS' German drummer Jörg Michael, who was was recently diagnosed with cancer and had his entire thyroid removed, has issued the following update:

"I hope this message finds everybody well and everybody is in an easy-peasy Christmas mood already.

"The first leg of the European tour with HELLOWEEN is over — time to have a few words with you.

"First of all, let's not forget the brilliant emergency rescue action and playing of Alex [Landenburg; AT VANCE, ANNIHILATOR, MEKONG DELTA]. Thanks again for all what you did for the fans, the band and also for me.

"Surely I hate the idea of somebody is sitting on 'my chair,' but this special action needed some special treatment and I am proud and happy that it was you, Alex. Thanks again; we'll get together for a real drink, not like these other Scandinavian pussies in the band :-)

"I was overwhelmed by all the wishes, tons of emails and text messages I received from all over the world wishing me a speedy recovery. Thank you so much for supporting me, and it made me feel very strong when fighting these bastards inside of me.

"I have some good news to tell you and believe me — I really enjoy to tell the world:

"The surgery was done about six weeks ago and the first therapy is done as well. All looks good so far and as Jens [Johansson, STRATOVARIUS keyboardist] told me before: 'Do not worry, Jörg, nothing survives in your body after all what you did to it!'

"Finally he was right, there are only small bits and bobs left — I will fight those with another therapy in about four months' time.

"I think I have been very lucky that it was discovered by one of my friends in a very early state. Very good that my friend decided to become a doctor; he was very lousy when he tried playing the guitar.

"Besides preparing myself for Christmas, I am currently practicing the drums to be ready and kickin' again when the tour continues in the New Year. I will be back.

"Thanks again for everything and let's get alive and kicking once again.

"See you in Paris and everywhere else."

Alex Landenburg (AT VANCE, ANNIHILATOR, MEKONG DELTA), who just completed a European tour as the stand-in drummer for STRATOVARIUS after the band's regular drummer, Jörg Michael, was diagnosed with cancer and had his entire thyroid removed, has issued the following update:

"I'd like to take the opportunity to say thanks to Jörg for asking me to step in and to the wonderful STRATOVARIUS fans for accepting me with open arms in this difficult situation.

"Despite these sad circumstances that led to me doing this tour, I had a lot of fun still.

"It was a weird situation....sometimes I almost felt a bit guilty for having such a great time. However, from meeting Jörg right before the tour and seeing that he was doing considerably good already, I knew that he'd back soon and that made things easier right away.

"My most heartfelt thank you goes out to Timo, Jens, Mati and last but definitely not least my clone brother Lauri... my bandmates of five weeks!

"I had such a great time with you, guys... I'm happy things went as good as they did and I'm glad to call each of you a friend.

"It's not about touring... it's about having fun — while you're touring!

"Finally I wanna thank the 'rest' of the whole tour party....crew, drivers and last but not least the HELLOWEEN guys. What a bunch of cool and down-to-earth people!"

German gothic metallers EVEREVE have issued the following update:

"Usually the end of the year is the time for presents. Since you have showed us your tireless support throughout thick and thin, we have decided to bring along a present for you just in time for Christmas 2010! Here on our website you’ll find three brand new songs for download as well as two unreleased remixes – all for FREE!

Our three new songs 'Revelation (Inferno)', 'Reborn (Purgatorio)' and 'Regret (Paradiso)' are like a small concept album in unison lyrically and musically. The writing took place at Mellsonic Studios in Steinen, Germany where we recorded the songs together with studio owner and sound engineer Mario Melle. We are quite pleased with the outcome which was completely produced by drummer Martin C.

The two remixes are really something special. They’re from back when we recorded Stormbirds in 1998 and were produced by Jens Beese at Impuls Studios Hamburg, Germany. These are pure Techno – Remixes, where the original songs ('On Lucid Wings' and 'Fields Of Ashes') are completely dressed up in a new ingenious way. It takes some balls to be open minded enough for this kind of thing, but we are not too worried since we’ve known you as people with a rather broad horizon and open minded for innovative ideas.

So hopefully you’ll enjoy our work, both old and new as well as this Evereve sign of life surprise. We thank you for your support and wish all of you E - Maniacs a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!"

BLOOD MORTIZED, the Swedish death metal band featuring former AMON AMARTH guitarist Anders Hansson (who played on AMON AMARTH's first two albums, 1996's "Sorrow Throughout The Nine Worlds" and 1998's "Once Sent From The Golden Hall") and CRYPT OF KERBEROS drummer Mattias Borgh, recently completed work on a new three-song EP, entitled "Bestial".

Commented the group: "We have signed a contract for a cassette release of the all new 'Bestial' EP. It will feauture a arse-kicking cover created for us by Daniel Devilish. The tape will be released in a strict 100 copies only, so be fast or cry like a baby later! We are talking to some labels and especially one; can't say which one. But hopefully this will lead to a CD release of the new EP AND a bit later it might get released on vinyl also. The cover for the CD version was created by our favorite Dutch artist Thomas Kynst [see below]."

BLOOD MORTIZED adds: "All material for our upcoming second album has been written. The plan is to start the recording in a quite near future. The title for this sophomore album is 'The Key To A Black Heart'."

The band earlier in the year parted ways with guitarist Benny Moberg "due to personal matters."

BLOOD MORTIZED's self-titled debut album was released in April 2009 through Singapore's Vrykoblast Productions.

SeaOfTranquility.org recently caught up with ANATHEMA's Vincent Cavanagh. An excerpt from the interview is available below.

SoT: One of the best aspects about the band is that every Anathema album truly has a different style. You guys never repeat yourselves.

Vincent: "Yeah, we try (laughs)."

SoT: So the first couple albums you guys did were quite different from where you are now. They were more doom metal and death metal oriented, and then with Eternity, you moved away from that.

Vincent: "Well, even when we were writing the first album, we were listening to music that wasn't metal. Sure, we liked some of that kind of stuff, but it wasn't just that. The purest things on those first albums were things like 'Crestfallen', 'They (Will Always) Die', and 'The Silent Enigma'. And certain passages here and there where we realized that we had a talent for stringing together harmonies, like guitar harmonies, specifically, which sounded more like a classical string quartet than your typical guitar harmony at that time. They were all moving at different times. A lot of the harmonies, if you played them separately, they were unrelated to each other, but when you brought them together, they sounded like they were made to fit together. We felt that that kind of stuff was the honest side of us. As for the heavy stuff, I mean, we were sixteen years old and into that kind of thing. At the same time, I remember going on our first tour and speaking to CANNIBAL CORPSE about THE BEATLES, PINK FLOYD, and LED ZEPPELIN."

SoT: Oh, really?

Vincent: "Yeah, all those kind of bands. That's what we were really into then, but at sixteen, you kind of go into the most extreme things you can. Also, that's back when our original singer, Darren [White], was there and, by his own admission, is a different kind of singer. He does that growl stuff. It was quite evident that with the first album, we'd done that kind of stuff, and by the time we had to record the second, you know, he came to do his vocals but we knew we'd already moved on. He was still doing those same kinds of vocals and we said 'We're sorry but we need to try something different.'"

French atmospheric doom metallers IXION have inked a deal with Avantgarde Music for the release of their new album, "To The Void". Due on February 28, 2011, the CD features 10 tracks with a running time of 56 minutes.

"To The Void" track listing:

01. Beyond The Skies
02. The Plague
03. Leaving
04. New Heaven
05. Fear Of The Hidden
06. Rebellion
07. Falling To Apathy
08. Funereal Dance
09. Soothing In Agony
10. Fade To Blue

The song "Beyond The Skies" is available for streaming on the IXON web site along with a medley of tracks that appear on the CD.

Commented the band: "We are very happy about this partnership and to be part of the new era of this well-known label."

Added the label: "In a (current) time when 'doom metal' went all directions outwards (sludge, drone, funeral, stoner, gothic whatever reggae-doom !) from what it once was in the mid-'90s or even a bit earlier than that, we liked IXION's simple yet complex in the same time formula. A formula based on the essential numbers: atmosphere, mood, good musical melodies.

"On their debut album, 'To The Void', IXION will never be that extreme as russian funeral doom undertakers are, and we guarantee they will never be cheesy as female fronted gothic metal bands are and probably not as trendy as today's all presumed sludgy/stony U.S. doom rooted bands are (a.k.a. the post-Southern Lord epidemy). In fact, they essentially are a mid-tempo-paced doom metal band with an Albion '90s imprinting, for all those like us who didn't forget early ANATHEMA and MY DYING BRIDE, with some more actual referrals in the like of Finnish atmoshepric doom metal bands (SHAPE OF DESPAIR, SWALLOW THE SUN, etc.) even though the role of keyboards is quite higher in IXION, taking their sound to maybe a wider, though softer at times, level."

Northern California hardcore band LIONHEART will release its new album, "Built On Struggle", on January 18, 2011 via Mediaskare Records. The CD features guest appearances by Brandan Schippati (BLEEDING THROUGH), Karl Buechner (EARTH CRISIS), Dave Nassie (BLEEDING THROUGH, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES), Lord Ezec (SKARHEAD) and Bruce LaPage (100 DEMONS).

"Built On Struggle" track listing:

01. Relentless
02. Pure Anger
03. Brothers Keeper
04. Built On Struggle
05. Betrayed
06. What I've Become
07. Through Hell And Back
08. The Hand That Feeds
09. Reprisal
10. Don't Speak My Name
11. The Bend Before The Break
12. Nowhere
13. The Only Life I Know